Understanding and Treating Selenium Deficiency in Celiac Disease

Selenium is a trace mineral required for good health. We should not be complacent about the small amount of this essential nutrient needed because not having enough of it has serious consequences.

Selenium is required for antioxidant protection, DNA repair, thyroid hormone activation, immune system enhancement, production of prostaglandins, muscle function and protection against cancer.

In the body, selenium is incorporated into proteins to make important antioxidant enzymes called selenoproteins. The antioxidant properties of selenoproteins help prevent cellular damage from free radicals.

Free radicals are natural by-products of oxygen metabolism that can damage just about any tissue, such as artery walls or skin cells. Some free radicals result as byproducts when our bodies metabolize nutrients. Others enter our bodies from the air we breathe and the food we eat. Free radicals may contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

Antioxidants protect us from free radical damage, scavenging them and reducing them to water and other harmless molecules. Other selenoproteins help regulate thyroid function and play a role in the immune system.

There is evidence that selenium acts as a component of the enzyme responsible for converting the thyroxin to triiodothyronine (T3); thus it is possible that the systemic utilization of iodine is impaired in people who are deficient in selenium (Arthur and Beckett, 1989; Arthur, Nicol and Beckett, 1990).

Thyroxin is one of the principal hormones secreted by the thyroid gland that increases the use of all food types for energy production and increases the rate of protein synthesis in most tissues. (Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary.)

Selenium plays a necessary role in muscle activity, promoting strength. In addition, this mineral is vitally necessary for production of prostaglandins (cell hormones) from omega-6 fatty acids. Prostaglandins are involved in many various activities. One is their rapid formation in response to injury, resulting in inflammation.

Absorption/ Excretion

Selenium is absorbed in the upper segment of the small intestine. It is excreted in the urine.

Deficiency Symptoms

In the general population, deficiency of selenium is considered rare despite a wide range of intake, yet it has an increased frequency in untreated celiac disease that results from malabsorption in the upper small intestine.

A study investigating serum levels of free carnitine and selenium in children with celiac disease having type 3 duodenal lesions demonstrated that selenium and carnitine levels are decreased in children with celiac disease, with and without diarrhea.

In general, mild to moderate depletion make us feel run down because deficiency results in low energy and fatigue.

The quantity of selenium in foods is directly dependent on selenium in the soil where plants grow and animals pasture. States lowest in selenium are: California, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, and Florida.

Unless otherwise indicated, following foods are in amount of 100 grams:

· Make foods rich in selenium a part of your diet, especially if you feel weak, have low energy, and catch every bug that comes along.

· If you like seafood, eat oysters, clams, fish and shrimp! The richest animal source is kidney, then liver and dark turkey meat. A rich plant source is sunflower seeds, but nothing comes close to Brazil nuts.

6 comments

Be careful with selenium. Even though it is essential in tiny amounts, it is also very toxic. Check existing supplements for it–many already have the upper limit of the “safe maximum allowed” –so people should not overdo it by eating high selenium foods.
(Mark, 1000 mcg (micrograms) = 1 mg (milligram.)

I went out to the store that rhymes with Wall—- to buy some Brazil nuts.
I couldn’t find any. So I bought a bag of shelled sunflower seeds.
They taste so good, I’ll have to be careful to eat a little at a time.

Since I’m on my gluten free diet, I’m starving, yet I eat lots of fruits and vegetables.
I think my body is in debt for nutrition.
Hopefully the selenium will help my thyroid, which the doctors are clueless and clueless in nutrition.
Your website is a valuable resource.